Rumil & His Little Princess
by Hissa Slysley
Summary: Just as the title says! Rumil and his little daughter Aini decide to go find the shade of a tree to sit under. Much more cute and comical than it sounds, I promise. Compliments to my Snapey and Nyslion!


A nursemaid had gotten Aini out of bed, fed her and dressed her, and brought her to Rumil's study. Aini giggled as soon as she saw her Ada, and held her hands out to him and wiggled her fingers so he would take her.  
  
Rumil sat on a chair near the window, gazing out as he tightened the string to his bow, and those of his brother's. Hearing giggling, a smirk crossed his lips, and he turned his head, to see his daughter. Placing the bow against the wall, he stood, and extended his arms with a soft smile as the nursemaid placed her in his arms. With a nod of thanks, he then looked to Aini. "How is my princess today?"  
  
Aini had a huge grin on her face, and tangled her hands in his hair. "Ada!"  
  
One of her hands from his hair, and held it up, as if to dance. He twirled with her once, and then brought her gaze towards the window. "Let's go find the shade of a tree to sit under."  
  
She rested her head on his shoulder, her hand tugging loose of his and wrapping tightly around his neck. Her hair was loose and just long enough to brush her shoulders, and the delicate strands were lost among Rumil's locks. She was humming randomly to herself, her fingers poking at the junction of her father's neck and shoulder.  
  
Carrying her out, but not before grabbing a few bows, and even the small set he had made Aini, they made their way out, and Rumil found the perfect spot. Placing her on the ground, he then sat, back against the tree. Looking into the distance, as if searching for Sanya, he looked back to his daughter with a smile. "What shall we do this day...?"  
  
She crawled over to him, pulling herself up so she could climb into his lap and settled against his chest again. She was a very affectionate child, always needing to be held and hugged and kissed. She looked up at Rumil, and then reached out for the bow in his hand. "Shwoo..."  
  
Resting his chin affectionately on the top of her head as she climbed into his lap, he continued to smile. Watching her reach for the bows, he handed her her own, the one he had made for her. "Go find some branches so I can make arrows, my princess." She crawled out of Rumil's lap; already the knees of her little leggings were dirty from the ground. She crawled over to a little sapling, tugging on it as if she thought it were a stick stuck in the ground. "Ada!" She was starting to get frustrated with it, and there was a whine in her voice as she pulled as hard as she could.  
  
Chuckling some, he crawled over beside her. "Don't get frustrated..." Looking to the sapling, he shook his head. "Ah, but you can't pull that one out, Aini." Sitting up, he gently released her hands from the sapling, and sat her in his lap. "It needs to grow big and strong to become just like that." He pointed to the tree he was earlier leaning against, and then looked around for sticks. "There." he said, pointing in another direction to a few sticks. "Over there."  
  
She looked up at the trees with huge blue eyes, then down at the sapling. "Baby!" She pointed at it, and then looked up at Rumil for approval.  
  
He chuckled and nodded. "Yes, a baby tree." He brought her closer and hugged her. She was an adorable daughter.  
  
She giggled, tossing her arms around her father's neck. She buried her face in his neck, placing a wet, sloppy kiss on his skin just above his collar. Then she pulled away and crawled towards the sticks he pointed to, and proceeded to throw them around.  
  
Smirking, he placed a kiss on her cheek before he let go of her, and she crawled away to the sticks where he had pointed. Watching her some, to make sure she wasn't to get hurt, he then made his way back to the tree, picked up the bows, and went to the tree closest to Aini. Sitting once more, he picked up one of the sticks, made it as smooth as he could, picking at the tips and knots, then placed it in her bow, and aimed it to the sky. She shot the "arrow", gently, enough for it to fall back down and for him to catch it. He smiled. "Here, Aini."  
  
She turned around, crawling back to Rumil. She dropped herself a bit roughly into his lap, her fingers wrapping eagerly around the arrow. "Shwoo!" She tugged on it, until Rumil let it go, and then threw it forward as far as she could. "Shwoo fa!" (Shoot, and shoot far in baby talk.)  
  
He chuckled "hold on! Patience, princess." Picking her up and holding her close, he managed to crawl to the made arrow (it wasn't that far) and returned to his spot. Placing Aini in his lap, he held the arrow in one hand, and her bow in the other. He then demonstrated how to use the bow with the stick.  
  
She wrinkled her nose as he shot it, her head tilted to the side as she watched him. She reached out, took the bow, and threw it the same way as she threw the arrow before. "Shwoo!"  
  
Dropping his head in defeat, he then looked to the bow she had thrown. Shrugging, he threw the arrow beside it, looked at Aini, and then brought his hands to her sides, tickling her.  
  
She squealed, squirming like a fish out of water as Rumil tickled her. Being both young and of playful spirits, Aini was particularly prone to tickle attacks from her parents. Her laughter echoed against the treetops as she squirmed her way out of his lap and onto the ground in front of him.  
  
Smirking, he allowed her to squirm her way out of his lap before giving her that "I'm going to catch you" look. He lifted a hand and dropped it to the ground, then the other, as if some animal. Both hands on the ground, he tapped each finger one ot a time, then looked back to Aini before trying to reach for her.  
  
Aini squealed, crawling away as fast as her knees and hands could take her. She hid behind a tree, peeking around it as she continued to laugh.  
  
As she hid behind a tree, Rumil swiftly, agilely, and quietly, jumped up into the tree she hid behind. Looking down at her, he made bird chatter. It fooled her mother once, long ago...  
  
Aini sat back, finding herself interested with a butterfly that settled on a sapling in front of her. She reached out towards it, and cooed, pleased, when it settled on her hand. Still watching her from atop in the tree, he smiled when the butterfly settled on her hand. He then took the moment to stand on the branch, looking in all directions. Even if he was a father, he was still a Marchwarden. He took a look around just to be safe. And everything was. He then crouched back on the branch, continuing to look at Aini.  
  
She talked in nonsense to the butterfly, which finally took flight once again and left Aini alone. She realized now that her father was gone, and she was starting to choke up and whimper a bit.  
  
With a soft smile, he spoke "don't cry, Aini. I'm still here..." then proceeded to make more bird sounds from up in the tree. Lying frontward on the branch, his long silver hair fell out, and if Aini looked up, she would see his hair.  
  
Aini looked up, seeing her father's hair up in the tree. Tears were wetting her cheeks, and she reached her hands up to him. "Ada..."  
  
Pouting upon seeing her tear-stained cheeks, he lifted himself from the branch, and jumped down, though pretending to fall. He did a roll and landed on his back, right beside her. Eyes shut for a few seconds, he then opened one eye to look at her and smile. "My little princess is so sad! We can't have that!" he then rolled on his side (Sanya will be mad as she has to wash BOTH of their stained clothes now) and extended his arms for a hug.  
  
Aini crawled over, up onto his chest and buried her face in his neck as her little fingernails dug into his skin. She rubbed her nose against him, wiping her cheeks on his shirt as she sprawled out on his chest.  
  
Wrapping his arms around her, he shut his eyes, and turned back on his back, As Aini sprawled out on his chest. One hand ran up and down her back as his other was placed just below her feet.  
  
She sighed, a little happy gurgle escaping her lips as her eyes closed. She was like a kitten being stroked at times, and nearly purred as her father's hand soothed her. Her tears were gone, a faint memory now that her Ada was back. 


End file.
